1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire having a radial carcass, a tread strip, and a pull-resistant belt disposed between the carcass and the tread strip; disposed on each side of the tread strip is a respective shoulder-like extension which is formed by a step and does not come into contact with the roadway under normal driving conditions; each step extension has a substantially radially extending surface adjacent the tread strip, and a base which is substantially parallel to the tread surface of the tread strip and is disposed radially inwardly of the tread surface; the edges of the belt extend to within the vicinity of the step extension, extending laterally beyond the radially extending surface by an amount equal to approximately 25-40% of the amount by which the bulged sidewalls of the tire extend beyond the radially extending surface of the step extension at the widest location of the sidewalls
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pneumatic vehicle tires of this general type provide a favorable reinforcement of the tread strip zone, which leads to a favorable wear pattern of the tread strip. At the same time, as a result of the shoulder step, in conjunction with the relatively wide belt, a vibrational uncoupling of the tread strip portion of the tire relative to the sidewall portion of the tire is promoted.
An object of the present invention is to improve the aforementioned general type of tire in such a way that unavoidable deformations of the tread strip zone do not lead to undesired heat formation, so that the rolling resistance of the tire can also be reduced.